There's no place like home

"Where we love is home, home that the feet may leave, but not our hearts", Oliver Wendell Holmes.

I went to the Allen Park house for the first time yesterday. It was something I felt I had to do. It's where Dad died and where his soul left the Earth, Mom died at the hospital an hour later. I grew up in that house for over 20 years until leaving for College. Every Christmas of mine was shared in that very home for 28 years. Sure we could have moved to a bigger house, but we liked the neighborhood, it was close to Family and Mom and Dad chose to be able to have a second house, boats and toys, which was well worth it. Every childhood memory took place in this home, there are way too many to mention. You know them all... from running out the front door and stepping on to that very porch to catch the bus on our corner for my first day of Kindergarten. My first lemonade stand. My first dance with cameras flashing as we gathered outside for pictures. My first birthday party. My first date. So many milestones and achievements/disappointments while living at that house. Many heartbreaks, laughs and tears.

Now the Home that once was mine is only a memory. I no longer have a home. That sounds so strange to read back to myself. I no longer have a home, my home is gone.

But no one can ever take those memories away from my Family and I. Not even an event as tragic as this. The last time I was in the house was over Easter in March. I came in from Cincinnati a day earlier then Ted so I went straight to my Parents with Gracie. I got in late as 75 north was closed. I walked in, had a glass of Wine with my Mom and sat laughing with Dad on the couch. He shared with me some funny stories about their vacation to Key West. Mom handed me a few gifts she bought while down there. A purse, that I ended up giving back to her as I knew it was Christina's taste, and some fun Florida trinkets. Justin came up and said Hi and he was back and forth from downstairs to see what we were up to. Gracie was being annoying with Mom's baby Dog, Brandy. Justin and Mom had to help separate them. They finally settled down.

I went to bed upstairs with Gracie, in my old room. I came down early to my Dad watching MASH at 7am. Coffee was ready and he made me Cinnamon French Toast. I left for a day so we could all gather at the Close's for an Easter dinner. I came back the following day, which would be the last time I would walk through those doors to greet them. I walked in with an Easter basket for Justin and I yelled down to his room to ask him if he was coming to Grandpa's (he came last year with Christina and I as Mom and Dad were in Hilton Head). He came up to look at the Candy, but opted to not go to Grandpa's. This was quite normal and nothing whatsoever seemed wrong or strange. Mom and I picked up carry out and we headed to Grandpa's. Dad met us over there. Mom, Dad, Grandpa and I sat there and ate our lunch, Christina was running late to work so she stopped by quickly to eat and say hello. Dad left, Christina went to work and Mom and I ran some errands and ended up back at the house. We walked back into the house, okay this was the official last time that I would walk through the doors with them alive, to a beautiful Easter Lily with a big card that read, "Happy Easter Patricia, love Jerome". My Dad left early so he could surprise Mom with Flowers. I can't remember if I was headed back to the Close's to get Ted or if I headed back to Cincinnati from this point on. Ted and I did a good job with both spending time with our families together and separately. Now it's a bit of a blur but I know for a fact I hugged my Mother & Father before leaving and yelled down and said good-bye to Justin.

The house looks great. Mom and Dad you would be so proud and thankful for Matt's efforts from priming to painting to replacing door knobs and light fixtures to a new front Door. Ted and Mr. Close helped out as much as they could when Ted came into town.

Always know that I will cherish my childhood and adult memories in that home but I will try to not think too often of what happened at the house in the end. It's too painful. All you were doing was enjoying a beautiful, Sunny April Day on your porch after a morning with your Grandson, Aydan.

God Bless our home.